Title 25 — IndiansRelease 119-73
§280 Patents of lands to missionary boards of religious organizations
Title 25 › Chapter CHAPTER 7— - EDUCATION OF INDIANS › § 280
Summary
Secretary of the Interior must give ownership papers to missionary boards for reservation land that was set apart and used only for mission or school use before September 21, 1922. Grants are limited to 160 acres per site and must revert to Indian owners if the land stops being used that way.
Full Legal Text
Title 25, §280
Indians — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to issue a patent to the duly authorized missionary board, or other proper authority, of any religious organization engaged in mission or school work on any Indian reservation for such lands thereon as were prior to September 21, 1922, set apart to and were on that date being actually and beneficially used and occupied by such organization solely for mission or school purposes, the area so patented to not exceed one hundred and sixty acres to any one organization at any station: Provided, That such patent shall provide that when no longer used for mission or school purposes said lands shall revert to the Indian owners.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
For
Transfer of Functions
of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Interior, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
25 U.S.C. § 280
Title 25 — Indians
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73